Reviews
Into The Pit Review
Dec 10, 2021
The recent trend of crunchy-looking, 90s FPS inspired games has produced a few hits and misses, owing largely to the fact that you can’t simply slap a coat of extra pixelated paint on a game and expect it to rocket up the sales charts. Playing on nostalgia is an effective marketing strategy, but delivering a game that’s well built, fun to play, and therefore worthy of your time is an important requirement for making sure your nostalgia piece lands. Into the Pit is a curious case because it brings a lot of great elements to concoct its formula, and on paper it should have everything going for it, but when everything comes together it lacks some of the depth and variety it needs for the package to realize its potential.
Alan Wake Remastered Review
Dec 09, 2021
Alan Wake, Remedy Entertainment’s dark, moody horror adventure was originally released as an Xbox 360 Exclusive in 2010 to favorable critical reviews and slow initial sales. Its unique mashup of Stephen King-inspired horror in a setting strongly reminiscent of Twin Peaks and a healthy dose of deliberately overwrought narration earned it permanent adulation in the eyes of its fans, and over the following years (and owing to a release on the PC), it achieved cult classic status. In the wake of Control‘s popularity and the potential importance of its relationship to Alan Wake, Remedy have released Alan Wake Remastered for the PC, PlayStation and Xbox platforms. The Remaster seeks to re-introduce old and new fans alike to the story of Alan Wake while giving it a pass of modernization so its more palatable by today’s standards.
Lost Judgment Review
Dec 08, 2021
You’ve heard the rumors for days; in the dark of night, after all the students have gone home, the model of the human body from the science classroom awakens and stalks the halls of Seiryo High School. It sounds too absurd to be true, but far stranger and graver things have been afoot at the school of late, and you have to chase down every lead to uncover the truth. And so here you are, walking the eerily quiet buildings in search of what has to be some kind of prankster, when suddenly… you watch dumbfounded with your own eyes as the body model crosses the end of the long hallway. As you give pursuit, it sees you and takes flight, hucking its organs at you in an attempt to slow you down as it dives through windows, hops fences, and takes evasive action, and all the while you’re wondering to yourself if any of this is actually happening and how you even got mixed up in this mess to begin with.
The Jackbox Party Pack 8 Review
Dec 07, 2021
The Jackbox Party games have been around for a few years now, and each numbered edition has been a banger for parties, hangouts, sleepovers, and streams. The games don’t rest on their laurels either, each Party Pack has tried something new in addition to keeping something familiar, and in Party Pack 8, Jackbox Games Inc. has succeeded once again.
TOEM Review
Dec 06, 2021
Listen. I’m a sucker for games that lead with their heart, and TOEM does exactly that. From the opening moments to the time you roll credits, you are never without details to absorb, and every single one of them is trying to tell you something about the world you’re in; it welcomes you with open arms and invites you to discover it completely, and to take your time in doing so.
Chorus Review
Dec 03, 2021
Cults, combat, and celestial bodies are what make-up Chorus, an incredible third-person space combat shooter. Accompanied by tight controls, fast-paced action, and clever abilities, there’s a lot to love. Chorus is ambitious and creative, often playing outside the boundary of the box for what to expect, and it all pays off. Chorus is an instant gem, and shouldn’t be overlooked as we are nearing the end of the year with a memorable and incredible space combat game.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Aiko’s Choice Review
Dec 03, 2021
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Aiko’s Choice is a mouthful to say, but a great standalone expansion that doesn’t require to prior knowledge to jump right into. The introductory cutscenes do well at either catching you up if you haven’t played the main game, or reminding where the story’s at so far. Releasing five years after the main game, Mimimi Productions returns to their breakout hit with a continuation of where their stealth tactics game ended. When it’s all said and done, this is a reminder that Shadow Tactics remains one of the best tactics game ever made, and Aiko’s Choice is no different.
Unpacking Review
Dec 01, 2021
Most of us have moved at some point in our lives, and I’m sure we’re all in agreeance that between packing and unpacking, the most enjoyable of the two is the unpacking. Well, Developers Witch Beam has taken that concept and crafted it into a fun game that scratches that lizard-brain itch for organization and subtly tells a lovely story along the way.
Psychonauts 2 Review
Nov 24, 2021
If the Golden Age of Gaming has already passed us by, then we are surely experiencing a renaissance now, in which the possibilities for turning ideas into playable reality are nearly limitless in scope. Modern classics are made regularly, old favorites are being revived and resuscitated through emulation or remasters, top to bottom remakes of landmark games are becoming more commonplace, and beloved fan favorites are getting the sequels they grossly deserve. Enter Psychonauts 2, the long-rumored, highly desired but largely mythical (until recently) follow up to the cult classic original released in 2005. I have fond memories of traipsing about the first Psychonauts‘ trippy mindscapes as Razputin Aquato, budding young misfit adventurer and Psychonaut-to-be, collecting endless figments, exploring bizarre locales that feel ripped directly from the bizarre imaginations of its creators, and utilizing the myriad psychokinetic powers Raz had at his disposal to engage in some serious platforming and mystery solving all in service of thwarting an evil plot to exploit the very Psychonaut agents whose creed it was to protect the world from psychic terrorism.
Exo One Review
Nov 23, 2021
Exo One is an experience you won’t soon forget, and one you’ll want to remember. Developer Exbleative has been working on Exo One for years, and it’s finally released. This is described as an “interplanetary, gravity-defying journey through space and time.” And I was not ready for this endeavor. It constantly showed me things I wouldn’t have imagined, and allowed me to do things I couldn’t have dreamt of. Exo One is relaxation met with interactivity in otherworldly places that unmatched for this style of game, earning your attention.
Battlefield 2042 Review
Nov 22, 2021
DICE have been spent the last five years exploring World War I (Battlefield 1) and World War II (Battlefield V) to great success, the last of which in the era where it all started. In that time, there was still a demand that the series return to either modern or future warfare. With Battlefield 2042, we actually get both. Usually we depict the future to be something to look forward to, but Battlefield 2042 paints a bleak picture of warfare teeming with tornadoes and sandstorms. The large-scale battles we’ve come to know and love are now even bigger and broader, producing an uneven yet grandiose multiplayer experience.
NASCAR 21: Ignition Review
Nov 18, 2021
The heat has been shut off on this year’s NASCAR title, and in its place is a fresh start for developer Motorsport Games. So it’s fitting that this year’s title is now called Ignition, but is this a strong enough debut to get things rolling, or does this one fail to turn over? Like all things in life, this one is a little of both.
Hoplegs (Switch) Review
Nov 17, 2021
Ever question life as a box? No? If you’ve ever wondered, then Hoplegs tries to answer that by asking if boxes could grow Legs. Hoplegs has you play as a young wizard named Hoppus on a mission. A mission to tell the king about a great evil heading their way told by his master. Unfortunately, the transportation spell messes up, and you’ve become a box. Now desperate, you have to use this body to get home, up and over many obstacles, including small ledges, big ledges, large gaps, walls, floaty smog, and ice to get to the king. Hoppus needs to warn the king about the great prophecy, one which could devastate the whole kingdom! He climbs over mountains, jumps through tunnels, and traverses icy landscapes trying to reach the castle. The gameplay felt great, the art style seemed to fit with what the creator was going for, and the story added a nice charm to the game.
Bright Memory: Infinite Review
Nov 17, 2021
Bright Memory started as an Early Access game that saw a final release, but it was only the first episode in what needed to be a larger game. The success it found since it became available on Steam made it clear that one-man developer FYQD-Studio had to go bigger and better with Bright Memory: Infinite. While that’s mostly true, Bright Memory: Infinite delivers a satisfying opening and closing to the story it wants to tell, but runs on too truncated of a time table. While you don’t get to spend a lot of time with it, it’s a mile-a-minute game that does a little bit of everything before it’s over. Bright Memory: Infinite is a technical marvel and a wonderful showcase of what’s possible with Unreal and NVIDIA tech, though I wish the actual game took center stage.
Lovely Planet Remix Review
Nov 12, 2021
Lovely Planet Remix is a “greatest hits” of first-person shooter genres and styles that offers a variety of ways to play and enjoy the game. Each game in the series has gone for a singular, yet different style game-to-game. This time around, it’s the kitchen sink approach, and it’s a stupendous delight. You are in control to choose the first-person shooter you want to play. And so, Lovely Planet Remix draws you in with its low-poly visuals, and holds onto you with its stimulating gameplay.
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